Chinese video game Black Myth: Wukong has made an extraordinary debut, selling over 10 million copies across all platforms within just 72 hours of its release, developer Game Science announced on Friday.
Released on Tuesday morning, the game quickly became a global sensation, topping Steam’s “most-played games” list within an hour of its launch. The maximum number of concurrent players across all platforms exceeded 3 million, highlighting the game’s widespread appeal.
Inspired by the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, Black Myth: Wukong focuses on the adventures of Sun Wukong, the legendary Monkey King renowned for his supernatural abilities. The game is considered China’s first “Triple-A” title, a designation reserved for high-cost, high-quality, and high-volume stand-alone games.
Industry experts predict that sales will continue to surge over the weekend. Goldman Sachs had projected that Black Myth: Wukong could achieve 12 million sales on Steam alone, generating over 3 billion yuan (approximately $420 million) in revenue. In an optimistic scenario, sales could reach 20 million units, with revenue surpassing 5 billion yuan.
The game’s success has not only boosted the stock prices of related companies but also spurred tourism in Shanxi Province, one of the key filming locations. The cultural significance of Black Myth: Wukong has resonated with both domestic and international players, with some fans creating extensive background material to help global audiences understand its deep cultural roots.
Pan Helin, a member of an expert committee under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, highlighted the game’s impact on related sectors and its role in promoting traditional Chinese culture. Black Myth: Wukong has transcended the gaming community, becoming a cultural phenomenon celebrated for its rich heritage and modern aesthetics.
Yu Ranxing, co-founder of Game Science, expressed hope that the game would demonstrate that Chinese games could achieve world-class standards. As China, the world’s largest gaming market, continues to grow—with sales revenue exceeding 300 billion yuan in 2023 and the domestic gaming market generating 147.3 billion yuan in the first half of 2024
